Škoda Auto, in partnership with its regional collaborator and investor Thanh Cong Group, has officially begun local assembly and sales of the ŠkodaKushaq SUV in Vietnam. Made from completely knocked-down (CKD) kits imported from India, this marks a strategic milestone in Škoda’s expanding ASEAN footprint .
Series assembly of the Kushaq commenced on 26 March 2025 at a newly inaugurated manufacturing plant in QuảngNinh Province, situated near the Hai Phong port. The facility features a welding shop, paint shop, and final assembly line. CKD kits of the Kushaq—developed and produced at Škoda’s logistics center in Pune—are now being shipped to Vietnam. The parts expedition center in Pune, spanning approximately 16,000 m², facilitates seamless packaging and dispatch to the QuảngNinh plant.
Prior to production, Kushaq prototypes were rigorously tested in local Vietnamese conditions, covering over 330,000 km and enduring climatic extremes from –10 °C to +42 °C with high humidity. The Vietnam-bound Kushaq features left-hand drive configurations and regional preferences, including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, synthetic leather upholstery, and enhanced comfort tech. The production lineup will soon expand. Series assembly of the ŠkodaSlavia sedan is scheduled to begin in summer 2025, also utilizing CKD kits imported from Pune.
This expansion aligns with Škoda’sinternationalisation strategy, leveraging geographic synergies between India and Vietnam to better serve emerging markets in the ASEAN region. With a population near 100 million and a vehicle ownership rate of just 34 cars per 1,000 inhabitants, Vietnam stands as Southeast Asia’s fourth-largest automotive market with one of the highest growth potentials. Škoda entered this market in September 2023 and has since opened over 15 sales outlets, targeting a network of 32 dealerships by end-2025
Škoda Auto, founded in 1895 and headquartered in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic, is a global automotive manufacturer and member of the Volkswagen Group. Since 2021, the company has produced vehicles such as the Kushaq and Slavia at its Indian facilities in Chakan and Pune, supporting an export-oriented strategy toward emerging global markets
A premier industrial conglomerate in Vietnam, Thanh Cong Group oversees the design, construction, and operation of the Quảng Ninh assembly plant—an integral component of the Thanh Cong Viet Hung Automotive and Auxiliary Complex dedicated to producing high-quality vehicles and future-ready technologies in the region
